It felt like he was starting a new job, but he was going back to the old one.
He had taken a week off to start the New Year and he could not believe the effort it was taking to go back to work. He was shocked to realize how much he didn’t miss his job. When he left work on that last day before vacation, he immediately put it all behind him. All the various crises he was over seeing, the struggles and years spent to get to his position, how much his job was part of his identity. ALL PACKED AWAY AT THE STROKE OF 5 pm. It was like he used a mind eraser. He forgot all about work. And it was easy to do, because he spent more time with family and with the interests he really loved. In short, he entirely forgot about his job and didn’t miss it.
And now he was going back to work.
The cold, white sun was not warming him up on the train platform. It was just after dawn and the sunlight came straight onto his face through the bare trees. The light was blinding but no warmth. Nada. He closed his eyes. What’s the problem? he thought. He was glad the cold was back.
He leaned back against the railing as he stood on the train platform and waited for the 6:45 AM. The railing was at just the correct height so he could lean back and simultaneously rest his back pack on it. A fellow commuter, a regular, came up and stood next to him. She leaned back and with a quick shrug rested her large purse on the railing.
“This bag is getting heavy,” she laughed.
“You’re right about that, ” he said.
copyright 2017 Christopher Donahue